37 37 - Return

It's been a month and a half and Itachi had finally made his way back to New Moon City. His lone figure could be seen walking in the entrance as the wind made his Uchiha crested cloak flutter.

The current Itachi had a totally different feeling to the one who left a month and a half prior. Now Itachi was like a sharpened blade and even without unleashing his cultivation, other cultivators of the same level or lower instinctively feel wary of him.

The guards that guarded the entrance had shivered just gazing at him. It was to be expected after all, Itachi had not only gotten the blood of a divine beast which's pressure scare profound beasts away, he also returned stronger not to mention he had started cultivating the 'Great Way of the Buddha' which entering it gave Itachi something akin to a rebirth.

Itachi was now safely not only the strongest youth but also the most talented in the whole of the Blue Wind Empire. Even the currently proclaimed number one genius, Ling Yun, who is the son of the Villa Master of the Heavenly Sword Villa was at the ninth stage of the Spirit Profound realm at the age of seventeen. Although only at the ninth stage of the Spirit Profound realm he beat someone that was a half-step Earth Profound practitioner in seven moves, he was far older than Itachi, he was four years older and could also fight across realms.

But the difference was immense, Itachi already 16, one year younger than when Ling Yun was at the ninth of Spirit Profound and is already at the Earth Profound realm. Even when he was in the Spirit Profound realm Itachi could easily defeat someone at the later stages of the Earth Profound realm.

Now Itachi at Earth Profound could use the third realm of the Evil god arts without consequences. Also now that he had his physical prowess strengthened by the Great Way he could now also open the third gate of the Eight Gates directly skipping the second gate.

With all the realms of the Evil God Arts multiply Itachi's prowess by about five to six times along with the multipliers with of the third gate which further multiplies his power by another four to five times, Itachi could combat someone at the middle to late stages of Sky Profound. Not to mention his mangekyou abilities, as far as he knew no one could currently counter his Tsukuyomi or Amaterasu; maybe someone in the realm of gods could but he didn't think that there was anyone in the 'mortal stages' that Jasmine referred to it could do so.

'Where are we going?' Jasmine asked.

'Our first stop is the New Moon Smithy... I need to get my weapon. Afterwards, to New Moon Profound Palace. Yuanba said he wanted me to tag along, it's the least I could do before I leave to Blue Wind City' Itachi stated.

'Ah, yes. This princess remembers, the mortal with the Tyrannical Emperor's Profound Veins' Jasmine nodded.

---

After walking a couple of minutes Itachi had arrived at New Moon Smithy. Entering he had found the same smith hammering away at a weapon. Looking back the smithy looked surprised before he stopped working.

"Ah, lad you're back! I thought you left or died somewhere! Haha!" The blacksmith laughed aloud before he stood up.

"Hold on, let me go get your saber you requested along with those showing projectiles" The man said before he went to the counter and took two yellow spatial rings. He gave them to Itachi before explaining.

"This one here has them pointy stars you wanted while the other has your sword and them small throwing knives. Though I must say, your saber took a long time to forge, it's almost as good as a Sky Profound Weapon I once saw! Anyway thanks for giving me another way for forging as a thanks I gave you more projectiles than requested" The blacksmith said.

"Mm, many thanks" Itachi said as the blacksmith laughed "HAHA! It's what I do lad!" The blacksmith said as Itachi bid the man farewell.

Slipping the rings on his fingers he took out the sword he had just received and admired the blade. It was a chokuto that had a blade that was three and a half feet long, it had no guard as the handle and sheath were colored black. It looked like an exact copy of the blade Sasuke had which he purposely asked for as to make it like a momento.

'It's a beautiful blade, this princess has never seen one in this design before' Jasmine commented getting a nod from Itachi.

'Indeed, in my homeland the original is called the kusunagi or grass cutter. It's a sword design I'm most familiar with from my homeland' Itachi replied

Tying the blade to his waist he then hid it under his cloak and left for New Moon Profound Palace.

---

Once he arrived he entered to only be stopped.

"H-halt! No one is allowed to enter apart from disciples of New Moon Profound Palace as well as the other disciples of the sects in the city. The guard said as he was intimidated by Itachi.

"I have come as I was invited by Xia Yuanba of New Moon Profound Palace" Itachi said monotonously.

"X-Xia Yuanba? Ah him, I w-will go get him for you sir!" The man said as he left hurriedly, he had thought that Itachi might be some powerful young master from his looks and clothing.

Minutes later he saw the same guard with the huge figure of Xia Yuanba following after. He was surprised as Yuanda had stepped into the first stage of the Nascent Profound Realm! Truly shocking as hewould need ten times the effort to break through to Nascent Profound from Elementary Profound.

"Elder Brother! You're back!" The boy said as he hug Itachi. If it was before Itachi would have been crushed but now as he was at the Earth Profound Realm as well as training his body he no longer felt any pain from Yuanba's bone crushing hugs.

"Indeed, I've returned" Itachi nodded.

"Great! Come Elder Brother, the ceremony is about to begin. Afterwards there would be a competition between the younger generation! I had asked someone if I could watch along with a tag along!" Yuanba stated as he brought Itachi towards a banquet that was filled with many different people from different sects.

They were all here to 'congratulate' the newly appointed palace chief, Qin Wuyou.

As they entered they gained quite the attention as Yuanba was at the Nascent Profound realm, a realm which a fair majority of New Moon Palace Disciples actually had yet to enter as well as Itachi who was exceedingly handsome along with a pressure and bearing that gave anyone who looked at him an uneasy feeling.